URANIUM

NEWS: The U.S. has demanded Iran halt all uranium enrichment as a central condition of the ongoing 2026 war negotiations.

About

• Uraniumà Naturally occurring, silvery-white, metallic radioactive element with a very high density.
• IsotopesàOccurs naturally in three primary isotopes:
• U-238àMost abundant isotope, comprising over 99.2% of natural uranium.
• U-235 àconstitutes 0.7% of natural uranium. It is the sole naturally occurring fissile isotope.
• U-234 is the rarest isotope, present only in trace amounts of about 0.005% of natural uranium.
• Uraniumà Poses chemical and radiological risks.
• Fuels nuclear reactors, weapons and produces medical isotopes for cancer treatment and diagnostic imaging.
• Depleted uranium is used in armour-piercing projectiles, tank armour, and aircraft control-surface counterweights.

Distribution of Uranium

• Kazakhstanà Leads in uranium production, followed by Canada and Namibia.
  • The three nations collectively account for 75% of the world’s supply.
• Australia holds the largest known uranium reserves (roughly 28%) but currently ranks fourth in production.
• Indiaà Ranks 13th in reserves and 9th in production, contributing less than 1% of global supply.
• Andhra Pradeshà Accounts for ~50% of India’s identified uranium resources, followed by Jharkhand and Meghalaya.